Samsung Looks to Continue Tablet Growth With Fingerprint Sensor

According to a new report from Sammobile, Samsung (SSNLF.PK) is getting ready to release a Galaxy Tab S tablet that will have a fingerprint sensor. Samsung’s arch rival, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), was the first to introduce a mobile device with a fingerprint sensor on the home button when the iPhone 5S debuted last year.

The fingerprint unlock feature is both more secure and easier than a traditional four-digit passcode, which is especially appealing for consumers who need quick access to their phones while also protecting the personal data stored on the devices. A tablet would benefit from fingerprint unlock in the same way.

Sammobile reports that the Galaxy Tab S will come in two screen sizes, 8.4 inch and 10.5 inch, and will feature the OLED display technology used in the new Galaxy 5S smartphone. The fingerprint sensor will be used for similar functions on the tablet as on the smartphone, including making payments with PayPal, accessing a private folder, and logging in to Samsung apps. The tablet will also allow for access to multiple accounts on a single device using a swipe of the fingerprint from the lock screen. Insider sources told Sammobile that the tablet will come in variations for Wi-Fi and LTE but not 3G connectivity, as had originally been planned.

So far Samsung has released seven tablets this year and doesn’t seem to be slowing down as it readies the Galaxy Tab S. Data released by research firm IDC at the beginning of the month showed that Apple’s lead in the tablet market, an arena it arguably invented with the iPad, has shrunk in the most recent quarter, from 40.2 percent in the first quarter of 2013 to 32.5 percent in the first quarter of this year. Samsung, meanwhile, grew its share from 17.5 percent to 22.3 percent year over year.